Narrative:

On a scheduled flight from cincinnati to O'hare we were given a 330 degree heading until receiving kokomo, by ZID. We never got a DME (it was notamed OTS) and the needles seemed unreliable and erratic at times. Therefore I continued to hold the 330 degree heading until asked by ZAU what our last assigned routing was. I told him. He informed us that we were past the kokomo VOR and that the last controller expected us to intercept the 001 degree radial on the okk arrival. I told him we never got a DME and that the signal seemed unreliable. Another air carrier reported the same thing concerning the VOR. ATC told us to turn right heading 030 degrees and that we were inside the active MOA. ATC also reported there was an F16 8 mi to our left. We never saw him or received any type of TCASII advisory. We were on the 030 degree heading less than 60 seconds when we were told to turn back left to a 330 degree heading for knox. Supplemental information from acn 359995: about 10-15 mi southeast of okk (which is a guesstimate as okk DME notamed OTS) I tuned in the oxi VOR anticipating a clearance direct oxi. Shortly thereafter I told the copilot I would be off frequency to get ord ATIS. The ATIS was not very clear so it took 3 times listening to get the whole ATIS. When I came back on frequency ord center said there was an F16 off our left wing and told us to turn right to a heading of 030 degrees. As captain I should have monitored what the copilot was doing much more closely than I was. This was our first time flying together but she had told me she was with air carrier for 5 yrs and with that I took certain things for granted. It really never occurred to me that she would misunderstand a clearance and fly beyond okk on a heading which would take us into an active MOA. I should not have tuned in the oxi VOR in anticipation of a clearance direct oxi but instead should have had the okk 001 degree radial dialed in. Continued vigilance on my part regardless of the experience level of my copilot will from now on be part of my SOP.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG HAS HDG TRACK POS DEV. UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF MOA.

Narrative: ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM CINCINNATI TO O'HARE WE WERE GIVEN A 330 DEG HDG UNTIL RECEIVING KOKOMO, BY ZID. WE NEVER GOT A DME (IT WAS NOTAMED OTS) AND THE NEEDLES SEEMED UNRELIABLE AND ERRATIC AT TIMES. THEREFORE I CONTINUED TO HOLD THE 330 DEG HDG UNTIL ASKED BY ZAU WHAT OUR LAST ASSIGNED ROUTING WAS. I TOLD HIM. HE INFORMED US THAT WE WERE PAST THE KOKOMO VOR AND THAT THE LAST CTLR EXPECTED US TO INTERCEPT THE 001 DEG RADIAL ON THE OKK ARR. I TOLD HIM WE NEVER GOT A DME AND THAT THE SIGNAL SEEMED UNRELIABLE. ANOTHER ACR RPTED THE SAME THING CONCERNING THE VOR. ATC TOLD US TO TURN R HDG 030 DEGS AND THAT WE WERE INSIDE THE ACTIVE MOA. ATC ALSO RPTED THERE WAS AN F16 8 MI TO OUR L. WE NEVER SAW HIM OR RECEIVED ANY TYPE OF TCASII ADVISORY. WE WERE ON THE 030 DEG HDG LESS THAN 60 SECONDS WHEN WE WERE TOLD TO TURN BACK L TO A 330 DEG HDG FOR KNOX. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 359995: ABOUT 10-15 MI SE OF OKK (WHICH IS A GUESSTIMATE AS OKK DME NOTAMED OTS) I TUNED IN THE OXI VOR ANTICIPATING A CLRNC DIRECT OXI. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I TOLD THE COPLT I WOULD BE OFF FREQ TO GET ORD ATIS. THE ATIS WAS NOT VERY CLR SO IT TOOK 3 TIMES LISTENING TO GET THE WHOLE ATIS. WHEN I CAME BACK ON FREQ ORD CTR SAID THERE WAS AN F16 OFF OUR L WING AND TOLD US TO TURN R TO A HDG OF 030 DEGS. AS CAPT I SHOULD HAVE MONITORED WHAT THE COPLT WAS DOING MUCH MORE CLOSELY THAN I WAS. THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME FLYING TOGETHER BUT SHE HAD TOLD ME SHE WAS WITH ACR FOR 5 YRS AND WITH THAT I TOOK CERTAIN THINGS FOR GRANTED. IT REALLY NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT SHE WOULD MISUNDERSTAND A CLRNC AND FLY BEYOND OKK ON A HDG WHICH WOULD TAKE US INTO AN ACTIVE MOA. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TUNED IN THE OXI VOR IN ANTICIPATION OF A CLRNC DIRECT OXI BUT INSTEAD SHOULD HAVE HAD THE OKK 001 DEG RADIAL DIALED IN. CONTINUED VIGILANCE ON MY PART REGARDLESS OF THE EXPERIENCE LEVEL OF MY COPLT WILL FROM NOW ON BE PART OF MY SOP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.